The Kano State Ulamas, the prominent assembly of leading Islamic clerics in Kano State, have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the escalating controversy surrounding the Kano Emirship.
The call for intervention comes amid growing tensions that threaten to disrupt the peace in the state.
The Ulamas, represented by Shaykh Abdullahi Uwais Limanci and 19 other signatories, issued a statement emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution.
They appealed to the President to allow the people of Kano State to resolve the dispute without resorting to force or violence.
A section of the press statement elaborated, “The recent happenings in the Emirate if not carefully handled could escalate and degenerate into chaos. It is imperative for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take all necessary steps to maintain peace in the State.”
The statement highlighted the legislative and judicial dimensions of the conflict: “While it is the purview of the State House of Assembly to enact Laws for good governance, the State Government needs the cooperation and support of the Federal Government. The State Assembly amended the Kano State Emirates Law and the Governor assented.”
The clerics acknowledged the legal challenge against the amendment: “One person took the case to Court that the law violates his Fundamental Human Rights. He is entitled to his rights. The State Governor also has responsibility as the Chief Executive of the State as the act in question has already been completed. Therefore there is no need for violent enforcement of any order or violent resistance to it, and we vehemently oppose any measures that will bring escalation of conflict in the State.”
They emphasized the importance of presidential leadership in maintaining order: “Mr. President as the leader of the nation should not allow the contest for a royal stool to degenerate to violence. We are calling on Mr. President to allow the people of Kano State to resolve these issues amicably without use of any force and loss of lives.”
The clerics reiterated Kano State’s history of peaceful coexistence, urging all parties involved to pursue non-violent solutions: “Kano State is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, therefore we the undersigned call on both contending parties to use civil means in resolving their differences to allow peace to reign in the state. As major stakeholders in the state, we want to assure Mr. President that we shall reach out to contenders,” the statement read.
This appeal reflects the clerics’ commitment to maintaining peace and their proactive stance in mitigating potential conflicts within the state.